Mars: Building a Purpose-Led Global Brand Through Innovation & Cultural Relevance

Walk into a supermarket aisle, corner store, or a veterinary clinic, and you’ll find Mars—one of the most iconic brand groups shaping how the world snacks, cares for pets, and consumes everyday essentials. 

 

Founded in 1911, Mars has grown from a small candy kitchen into a privately owned global powerhouse with approximately 150,000 Associates across more than 170 markets.

 

Today, Mars manages a vast portfolio of beloved names, including M&M’S, Snickers, Ben’s Original, Royal Canin, and Pedigree, along with an expansive veterinary network across the pet health sector. 

 

Supported by around 3,600 sites globally, including manufacturing, retail, and research centers, the company’s ability to reach diverse consumers is unmatched.

 

Under the leadership of Poul Weihrauch, CEO & Office of the President, Mars continues to strengthen its brand reach through a strategy rooted in high-impact strategy, a long-term vision, and a balance of commercial growth and societal contribution.

 

Innovation: Creativity Inside Every Brand

Innovation at Mars takes many forms—new formulations, better nutrition, high sensory experiences, and deeply cultural messaging. The company’s brands are designed to feel both familiar and exciting, driven by consumer insights and scientific expertise.

 

Mars’ product development spans multiple categories—from playful confectionery to advanced pet nutrition. Innovation is always focused on relevance, whether it’s repositioning M&M’s personalities to highlight inclusion and variety, growing Royal Canin into a specialist in vet nutrition, or improving home cooking with Ben’s Original.

 

Marketing & Branding: Culturally Rooted, Emotionally Intelligent

Marketing & Branding strategies at Mars are driven by one fundamental belief: brands should live within culture, not outside it.

 

From character-led storytelling in confectionery to emotional narratives in pet care, Mars has perfected the art of building lasting relationships.

 

Its playbooks highlight:

 

Relevance to local culture; values-based storytelling; engagement across several platforms; communication driven by personality; and multichannel interactions 

 

Building a brand with a purpose guarantees that every product has emotional significance beyond mere consumption.

 

For example, the playful universe of M&M’S conveys comedy and community, transforming simple sweets into cultural icons. In the meantime, Ben’s Original promotes a multigenerational culinary connection.

 

Mars’ branding strategy is guided by Gülen Bengi, Chief Marketing Officer, who champions a customer-centric strategy, scaling strong international platforms that can still bend to local identities. The outcome is incredibly unique brands that are consistent across the globe while organically adjusting to local personality.

 

Beyond traditional media, Mars captures attention through activations, pop-ups, influencer narratives, and immersive digital campaigns—building both cultural presence and category leadership.

 

Technology & Digital: Intelligence Behind the Brand Experience

Behind the emotional pull of Mars’ brands lies a sophisticated digital backbone designed to drive speed, agility, and global scale.

 

Under the leadership of Phil Cerami, Chief Technology Officer, Mars is strengthening its technology foundations to unify data, automate workflows, and deliver predictive insights.

 

Digital actions focus on:

 

• AI-powered personalization
• Data-based supply chain management
• Customer behavior analytics
• Technology modernization
• Accelerated E-commerce 
• Innovation in Pet Health 

 

AI-assisted product development, digital pet care examinations, and smart manufacturing technologies allow Mars to improve productivity throughout its worldwide presence while reacting swiftly to changes in the market.

 

In pet nutrition, data-driven ecosystems connect veterinary services, research platforms, and nutrition brands, helping pet owners make more informed decisions. Meanwhile, digitally powered transparency initiatives continue to elevate consumer trust.

 

Technology at Mars is not just an enabler—it’s a competitive advantage that keeps the business future-ready.

 

A Brand’s Perspective

Mars is a rare example of how legacy and innovation can coexist and drive a team forward. It has become extremely relevant all around the world because of its capacity to put people and culture at the heart of every decision, whether it is about dinnertime, pet health, or snacking.

 

Strategic leadership ensures disciplined growth, and the company’s ongoing investments in marketing, digital transformation, and local storytelling have enhanced its ability to engage consumers truly.

 

More than a snacking and pet care giant, Mars is a story-driven ecosystem—one that connects families, pets, and communities through high-equity brands that live in culture, not just on shelves.

 

As Mars looks ahead, one thing is clear:

 

It isn’t just building brands—

 

It’s shaping emotional experiences that last.